The Kanto Journies
by lddavid16
Summary: A hotheaded trainer, an ambitious Pokéthlete, and a brilliant coordinator/breeder arrive from three different regions in Pallet Town. An aging Professor Oak and his young assistant Damian Redwood give the three Pokédexes and starters to travel through the Kanto region and fulfill their dreams. Rated T for some strong language, and the potential for more realistic situations.
1. Chapter 1: Oak's Laboratory

_**Author's Note:**__ This story is pretty lighthearted. No majorly dark themes, no intense plot twists, no murders. The goal is to entertain through the use of interesting and dynamic characters that travel through the Kanto region. There will still be drama, action, and an interesting blend of anime and game-based mechanics. Make sure to leave reviews, as they motivate me to keep writing. If you want to see more, make sure you let me know!_

**Chapter 1  
**

_Oak's Laboratory_

"Please go over the candidates with me once more. I want to make sure I have all the information straight in my head." The old man ran a hand through his graying hair, a somewhat embarrassed smile on his face.

"Of course, Professor," responded the bespectacled young man, holding a clipboard in front of him. "You've selected three candidates. The first is Chris, from Celadon City here in Kanto."

Professor Oak nodded as he sat back in his chair. "Chris reminds me so much of some of the trainers we've had before. Headstrong, brash, but caring and youthful. His fiery personality is more than a match for anything he'll face here."

"Next is Rachel from Blackthorn City in Johto," the assistant continued.

"Ah yes, Rachel. Athletic, strong-willed, and fierce. A good match to keep Chris in line, and she idolizes Pokéthletes. She'll make a fine competitor." Professor Oak picked up a glass of unidentifiable liquid and began to sip on it thoughtfully.

"Uh…Professor…?"

"Keep going, Damian," the Professor said. "Next is…?"

"R-Right." The assistant fumbled through the papers. "Next is Eric, from Lavaridge Town in the Hoenn Region."

"Eric, of course. Very laid back young man, but a thorough thinker and very knowledgeable trainer. Has interests in Pokémon Breeding and Coordinating. In fact, he bred his first Pokémon himself, didn't he?" Another sip.

"Not exactly," the assistant said. "He caught a Ditto on his own and used it to breed his friend's Pokémon, a Pichu."

The professor nodded. "Yes, of course. Not sure how I…"

"Professor, that's a tube of Pokémon urine!" the assistant shouted.

The professor's eyes widened briefly, but his face relaxed as he picked up a can of soda and washed his mouth out before spitting on to the lab floor next to him. Within seconds, a small robot appeared to clean up the mess. "Yes, well, I thought my soda had gotten a bit tangier than usual."

The assistant sighed. Only a few classes away from obtaining his own professorship, Damian Redwood was being groomed to take over Professor Oak's position as the Kanto Regional Professor. Sadly, Oak was getting a bit old, and somewhat senile, but the old man didn't want to retire. He kept working, choosing promising children to start their journeys in the Kanto Region. Every year, he selected three aspiring trainers from around the Pokémon world, from Kanto to Orre, and everywhere in between. He brought them to his lab, gave them a Pokédex and a starter, and set them out on their own to face their dreams and adventures to come.

This year, the trainer Chris, the athlete Rachel, and the Coordinator and Breeder Eric were on the docket. In less than two weeks, they would arrive in Pallet Town, ready to start their journey together to the Indigo League.


	2. Chapter 2: Pallet Town - Depart!

**Chapter 2**

_Pallet Town – Depart!_

Oak had always been a sucker for dramatic entrances. He stood outside his lab in Pallet Town, eyes on the horizon. He wasn't out there long, when there silhouettes appeared right on schedule. Soaring through the air, a Pidgeot, Noctowl, and a Swellow swooped into the town, landing just in front of Professor Oak. Off the backs of each, a young person jumped down, and the Pokémon quickly returned to normal size, having grown large solely for the use of fly.

"Thank you, Swellow, Pidgeot, and Noctowl. Take a good rest." With that, the Pokémon morphed into a flash of blue energy that abruptly shot into three Poké Balls in the Professor's possession. It was at this time that Damian Redwood appeared from inside the lab, carrying a small case about a foot wide and half a foot tall.

The three new trainers approached at varying speeds. Chris was in front, practically sprinting towards the aging Professor. The 16 year-old's moppy brown hair was stuffed haphazardly into his baseball cap, adorned with a stylized Pokéball. His thin frame sat inside a baggy T-shirt and jeans that looked so old and worn, one would swear the boy had already been on a Pokémon journey.

Following behind at a quick pace was Rachel. The 16 year-old girl had neatly groomed blonde hair, and wore a pressed long-sleeved blouse with dark blue jeans and bright white tennis shoes. She had a bag slung over her shoulder, full of all kinds of essentials to a journey. Her strides were quick, purposeful, and confident, and her deep green eyes reflected a tempered excitement. Her toned frame gave her a very athletic look.

Finally, behind her, was Eric. Also a blonde, the 17 year-old tone young man wore a green vest with many pockets, each seemingly filled with some kind of supply or tool. Underneath, he wore a simple black t-shirt and a pair of brown cargo slacks. His dark blue eyes were hidden behind thick framed glasses with even thicker lenses. He also wore a backpack stuffed full of supplies, leaving one to wonder just how much he expected to need.

"Finally!" Chris yelled. "My first Pokémon! Oh man, I can't wait to meet my Charmander."

"Calm down, Son," Oak said as Damian began to fumble with the case in his hands. "We're going to do this fair and square. One of your new travel companions might want Charmander…"

"It's alright, Professor," said Rachel as she approached. "We've already made up our minds what we want."

Eric nodded. "Yeah, Rachel sat us down to iron out the details. We've already made our decisions on our starters, and there aren't any conflicts."

It was at this time that Damian finally got the case open, revealing three Poké Balls, shined and looking brand new. Without even thinking, Chris grabbed the ball on the far left and threw it. "Let's go, Charmander!"

In a flash of light, a confused Bulbasaur appeared. "Bulba?" it said, befuddled that Charmander's name had been yelled out. Rachel immediately walked over to Chris and snatched the Poké Ball out of his hand, then bent down. "Hi, Bulbasaur," she said sweetly. "You and I are going on a journey together. How does that sound?" Bulbasaur responded gleefully as he took quickly to his new trainer.

"I thought the first one would be Charmander," Chris said, in a bizarre attempt to justify his mistake. "The popular one, you know?"

Eric shook his head, already imagining the wrangling he would have to do to keep this hothead in check. "They're in National Pokédex order," he said dismissively. "Bulbasaur is 001, Charmander is 004, and Squirtle is 007." Eric walked past the befuddled trainer and picked up the far right Poké Ball. "Squirtle, deploy!" In a flash of light, Eric was now getting to know his excited Squirtle.

Chris was clearly annoyed, as he wanted to meet his partner first. He reached for the final Poké Ball. "Charmander, I choose you!" he yelled, as the small flame Pokémon appeared in front of him. "Alright, Charmander!" Chris picked up the small Pokémon and began to swing him around in a circle, squealing with delight. Charmander freaked out and squirmed, clawing Chris' hand in the process. Chris yelped as he dropped the small lizard, who landed on his stomach.

"Chris! You can't be so rough with him!" Rachel scolded. "Charmander's still just a baby, and you just scared the crap out of him! And you probably gave him vertigo, to boot."

Professor Oak finally spoke up. "I'm sure that in time, Chris will learn to temper his eagerness. You'll all be with each other every step of the way, helping shape each other into what you need to become to achieve your goals. And now, the soon-to-be Professor Redwood has a gift for each of you."

From his pocket, Redwood produced three Pokédexes. They were color-coded to each trainer's starter, and the assistant handed them out. A blue one for Eric, a green one for Rachel, and the red one for Chris. "While Chris was getting his arm scratched up, I took the liberty of programming each one. Now they'll serve as your guides around the Kanto region, and will also serve as your identification if needed. Simply open it, point the sensor at a Pokémon, and press the scan button to receive information. To pull up your ID, simply press the big red button."

As Rachel and Eric tinkered with the new devices, Chris was locked in an angry staring contest with the annoyed Charmander. "You didn't have to scratch me, you know," he said, pouting a little. Charmander simply scoffed and looked away, arms folded in defiance.

"In addition to the Pokédexes, we have a few more gadgets for you. We selected them in terms of your personalities, or at least, what we could ascertain from your essays and video interviews. Rachel, you get a Pokégear, and will be in charge of keeping everyone connected with your progress. Also, it doubles as a very nice radio.

"Chris, given that you're impatient and don't…" Redwood intended to finish his sentence, but Chris was still too busy prodding at the angry Charmander to listen. With a sigh, he turned to Rachel. "This is Chris' Pokétch, a high-tech watch with several apps that help analyze the status of your Pokémon and understand them better. I get the feeling he might need it." He looked back at the boy, who was still griping at Charmander for its uncooperative nature.

Redwood shook his head before turning to Eric. "This is a PokéNav from your home region of Hoenn. It's easily the most versatile of the devices. Aside from being a phone and detailed map, it also has data on powerful trainers, tracks your Pokémon's contest conditions, and keeps track of the medals you've won in Pokémon Contests." Eric accepted the device with a bit of surprise, not aware of just how many features it had. PokéNavs were always too expensive for him to even consider owning. Holding one in his hands now was just difficult to process.

Professor Oak cleared his throat. "You're now ready to embark on your journey. Good luck, and keep us apprised of your progress." Eric and Rachel nodded and recalled their Pokémon back to their Poké Balls. Chris still wasn't paying attention.

"Thanks for everything, Professor," Eric said as the two began to head towards the northern exit out of town.

"Bye, Chris! Have fun staying here forever!" Rachel taunted. This snapped Chris out of his distracted trance. He frantically recalled his Pokémon and bolted after the other two, complaining about how no one told him they were leaving.

"Are you sure they're going to be okay, Professor?" Damian asked. "I mean, Eric and Rachel have a good grasp of what they're getting into, but…"

Oak shook his head. "Don't worry about it. One thing I've learned after all these years is that the most excited ones go the furthest, even if they lag behind the longest. Those three are going places, Damian. Believe me."


	3. Chapter 3: Route One

**Chapter 3**

_Route One – Tall Grass_

Rachel stared quizzically at the young man who had only moments ago been practically head-over-heels regarding the journey they were about to embark upon. "You suddenly got really quiet."

Eric shook his head. "It's always the ones that come in with a roar that go out with a whimper. Or something like that."

There Chris stood, his energy gone. He'd never ventured into the tall grass before, and suddenly, he felt his courage and willpower drain. What was going to happen? Would he get eaten by an Ekans? Had his eyes clawed out by a Pidgey? Karate Chopped by a Mankey? His rough start with Charmander was only going to make things harder. What if Charmander didn't defend him when the going got rough? He was suddenly flooded with emotions, the least of which not being pride muddled with fear.

"I'm fine," he finally said, his eyes still not leaving the tall grass in front of him. "Let's go." But even as he said this, he didn't move a muscle.

Rachel grinned. "Performance anxiety," she said. "Always happens to the boisterous ones. They make pills for that you know."

The joke sailed over Chris' head like a Wingull riding the thermals. "I'm fine," he repeated.

"The more you say you're fine, the less I believe it," Eric said, folding his arms over his chest. "Seriously, are you that worried? Would you rather one of us walk in front?"

Of course he did, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Rachel opened her mouth to make another wisecrack, but Eric put a hand on her shoulder and lightly shook his head. _Let Chris keep his pride for now,_ he said with his eyes. _Let him have this one._

With a nod, Rachel walked north on Route One, the start of their journey. Eric was right next to her, and Chris shuffled directly behind them. Within a few moments, they were out of the first patch of tall grass, and back on a dirt road. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Eric asked Chris. He didn't expect an answer, but kept walking anyway.

"What kinds of Pokémon live on Route 1 anyway?" Rachel asked Eric.

Eric put a hand to his head as he walked. "I remember from reading a famous Kanto trainer's biography. There were mostly Pidgey and Rattata. But after that incident in Sinnoh where Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina appeared, a lot of Pokémon migrated south to escape the weirdness. I think you can find some Starly, Bidoof, and a few others here as well."

"Oh yeah," Rachel said, remembering the story. "Some freaks. Team Plasma, right?"

"No, they were the ones in Unova. Team Galactic were in Sinnoh. Trying to summon and capture the legendary time/space trio of Pokémon. There aren't a lot of details widely known, but I poked through some of Professor Rowan's research on the subject. He said they opened a portal to another world, but the leader of Team Galactic threw himself in, never to be seen again."

"Creepy," Rachel said as they came to the next patch of grass. "Do you think they…"

Before she could finish her sentence, a Starly leapt from the grass in front of them. "Star!"

Rachel and Eric jumped back a bit, and Chris jumped back further, too engrossed in the conversation to realize what they were doing. As the small bird Pokémon flapped in place in front of them, Eric grabbed his Poké Ball. "Let me handle this one," he said. Rachel nodded and Eric threw the ball. "Squirtle, deploy!" In a flash of light, the Tiny Turtle Pokémon materialized, ready for battle.

Starly swooped in for a tackle attack. "Squirtle, use Tackle!" Before Squirtle could respond, Starly struck, knocking Squirtle back by at least a foot. "I forgot how fast they are. Squirtle, Tail Whip, go!" Squirtle quickly started wagging its tail, which seemed to cause Starly to lose focus for a moment. "Now, Tackle!" This attack was successful, as Starly fell to the ground.

The small bird shook itself off and began to flap once again. "Don't let it into the air! Tackle it again!" Squirtle charged at the opponent, knocking it over once more. "Man, I wish I had an empty Poké Ball or something. Oh, well. Squirtle, end it with one more tackle!"

"Squirtle!" the small Pokémon cried as it charged. Before Starly could get its bearings, Squirtle smashed into it head first, sending the small Pokémon to the ground, dizzy and disoriented. With what little strength it had left, it managed to fly away.

"You did it!" Eric picked up Squirtle and gave it a light hug, which Squirtle rather enjoyed. It returned the hug, then took to Eric's shoulder, where it tried to sit, but kept slipping off.

"Nice work, Eric and Squirtle," Rachel said in congratulations. "That was excellent work."

"You're really good," Chris finally spoke up. "You've done this before?"

"I never went on an official journey," he said, recalling Squirtle to its Poké Ball. "But Squirtle isn't technically my first Pokémon. Once we reach Viridian City, I'll have my Ditto transferred over from Hoenn."

"Cool!" Chris said. "I always wanted to see a Ditto."

The group began to walk once again, making their way north towards Viridian City. "How long is it going to be before we arrive?" Rachel asked.

Eric pulled out the Poké Nav. "About three hours at this pace. It's a relatively short route."

His gusto renewed, Chris took the lead, with Eric nodding slightly to Rachel. Rachel had to admit that he had Chris pegged, as the three of them fearlessly took on several low-level Pokémon. By the time they arrived at the northern terminus of Route One, they'd each fought several Pidgey, Rattata, Spearow, Nidoran of both genders, Starly, Bidoof, and even a few Sentret. As they reached Viridian City and the sun began to go down, they could hear the Hoothoot coming out and calling to each other.

"So this is Viridian City," Chris said as they looked down at the settlement from atop a hill. The street and building lights were just starting to come on, and the town was awash in an orange glow from the setting sun.

"You've never been here before?" Rachel asked. " I thought you were a Kanto native."

Chris nodded. "Yeah, but my family never travels anywhere. The furthest I've been from my home in Celadon is Saffron City a few times, and that was only because my Dad works for Silph Co."

Eric pointed out towards a building with a red roof. "There's the Pokémon Center. They should have rooms for rent, as well as a way to transfer Pokémon and items we weren't able to grab before we left."

"Cool," Rachel said. "I've got some specialty Poké Balls that were custom-made for us. I should be able to transfer them here."

"Really?" Eric said, his interest piqued. "I've always been fascinated by that process. You _are_ talking about the Apricorn balls, right?"

Rachel nodded proudly. "The very same. A few Lure Balls, a couple of Fast Balls, those types of things."

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Chris, his excitement and energy returned. "Let's get down there!" Without waiting for a response, he dashed down the hill towards the entrance of Viridian City.

"For once, I agree with him," Rachel said.

With a nod, Rachel and Eric bolted down the hill behind Chris, headed towards their first stop on the way to the Indigo Plateau, Viridian City.


	4. Chapter 4: Roads Diverged

**Chapter 4**

Viridian City – Roads Diverged

_Author's note: This chapter is crazy-long. A lot happens, so bear with the length here…_

It was a cool autumn evening when the three new trainers made it to the Pokémon Center in Viridian City. Setting their backpacks down and taking a seat on a couch, the three looked at each other wordlessly. They made it. They'd taken the first step on the road to the Indigo Plateau.

After a few minutes of silence, Chris finally spoke up. "What's the plan? We have a lot to do, don't we?"

Eric took a deep breath and pulled his PokéNav out of his bag. The screen unfolded as it activated. "Let's see…we have the Viridian Gym, obviously. That'll be Chris' first stop. The Viridian City Pokéathlon isn't for three more days. And the Viridian Pokémon Contest is the day after that. So we'll be in town for at least four days. That should be enough time to start training for our respective events."

Rachel nodded. "Tonight, we should probably just get some rest. Feed our Pokémon. What's everyone doing tomorrow?"

"I'm heading west from here," Chris said. "Before the gate to the Indigo Plateau, I heard a lot of trainers hang out and battle. It'll be good training for me, and I can't wait to get started."

"I need to go shopping," Eric said. "I need some formalwear for the contest, not to mention Ball Capsules and Seals."

"Well, for now, no one's at the transfer machine. We should probably start getting our items from home," Rachel suggested.

"You guys go first," Chris said. "I'm grabbing food from the cafeteria."

"Alright, then," Eric said. "I'll call up my folks in Hoenn and start my transfers."

Transfers, food, and conversations with other trainers passed the time. Soon it was 9pm, and Rachel went to get the key to their room.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" the nurse asked as she handed the room keys to her. "I can find you a separate room so you don't have to bunk with the two boys."

Rachel shook her head. "I'll be fine. They're both harmless. Well, one's harmless, the other's just braindead. Either way, I'll be fine." The nurse nodded at Rachel's reassurance and the young Pokéathlete headed upstairs where Eric and Chris were waiting. Keys were distributed, and the group entered their room.

It was a small room, with two bunk beds against opposite walls, a small aisle between them, and a single night stand against the far wall's window. A tiny lamp solely lit the room as it sat atop the night stand, casting long shadows across the bunks.

"I call top bunk!" Chris yelled as he bolted up a ladder, shoes on and all, into the left bunk bed.

Eric laughed. "You can have it. Last thing I need is to fall out of bed in the morning." He set his bag down on top of the bunk beneath Chris before sitting down himself. Rachel set her bag on the opposite top bunk, but sat down on the bottom bunk.

Chris leaned over the edge of his bunk, his torso hanging off the edge, dangling near Eric. "So, you guys get cool stuff in your transfers?" he asked, looking excited.

Eric nodded as he picked up a ball from his belt. He hit the button to expand it, and Chris noticed it had an odd design. It was red with a yellow helix design across the front. "What kind of Poké Ball is that?" Chris asked.

"That's a Repeat Ball," Eric explained. "These are a specialty ball that can read the internal sensors of other Poké Balls you've used. The internal computer that processes the Pokémon inside also stores information on how other Pokémon in your party or PC were stored, using that information to increase the chance of capturing the same species a second time."

Chris blinked. "It does what now?"

Eric shook his head. "Never mind. Ditto, deploy!" In a blue flash of light, the Repeat Ball opened and released the small pink blob from its capsule. It looked confused at first, but started smiling when it laid eyes on Eric.

Chris nearly fell from the top bunk trying to get to the floor. "That's so cool! I've always wanted a Ditto! I've got to find one now!" He kept poking at Ditto's squishy body, causing it to laugh. He then quickly whipped out his Pokédex.

"Ditto, the Transform Pokémon, Normal-type. Ditto is able to mutate its DNA to transform into anything it sees. In battle, it uses this ability to copy the stats and forme changes of an opponent, although it can't copy the opponent's vitality. Outside of battle, Ditto are used by breeders to breed Pokémon that otherwise cannot."

"So that's not the first Ditto you've ever caught?" Rachel asked. "I mean, given that you used a Repeat Ball."

"Actually, Ditto's the first Pokémon I've ever caught. It was stubborn as all hell, and when I ran out of Poké Balls, the Repeat Ball was the only one I had left. I just got lucky." As he spoke, Eric released Squirtle from its Poké Ball to meet its new friend.

"Next question," Rachel continued. "Is your Ditto Limber or Impostor?"

"Who the what now?" Chris asked.

Eric responded like the encyclopedia he was. "Limber is an ability that prevents a Pokémon from being paralyzed. Impostor is an ability that allows a Ditto to transform faster, keeping your opponents from getting an attack in while Ditto transforms. To answer your question, Rachel, this Ditto is an Impostor Ditto."

"Wow," Rachel said. "You really are lucky. Those are rare."

Eric nodded. "Yeah. For my 16th birthday, my dad took me to the Kalos Region, where one of his friends owned a Safari Zone-style ranch. A lot of very rare Pokémon live there, and it's a really expensive attraction. I muscled past Chansey, Charmeleon, and even Eevee to find a Ditto. I was just lucky that the first one I found was an Impostor."

Rachel nodded in understanding. "And thus began your career as a Pokémon Breeder."

"Yep, and now Ditto's going to help me in Contests." Eric recalled Ditto back to its Repeat Ball while Chris was in mid-poke.

Rachel cleared her throat. "Well, that reminds me. I have some items here for you." She pulled three Poké Balls from her bag, each with a different, unique design.

"Are those the Apricorn balls?" Eric asked, the most excited as he'd been.

Rachel nodded. "I'm going to let you each pick one."

"What do they do?" Chris asked. But no sooner were the words out of his mouth that Eric snatched up one of the Poké Balls, one with a blue and red design.

Rachel laughed. "Well, that one _was_ a Lure Ball, great for Water-type Pokémon. The other two are a Fast Ball for Pokémon that are quick to run away, and a Friend Ball to help Pokémon warm up to you more quickly."

"Friend Ball it is," Chris said, picking up the right item for once. "With my rocky start with Charmander, I could use all the help I can get."

"I'm gonna stay quiet on that one," Rachel smirked, putting the Fast Ball away.

Chris stood up, looking a bit proud. "Well, I got some stuff for everyone, too."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Did you now?" He didn't intend to sound as skeptical as he did, but from what he knew of Chris at this point, anything was possible.

Chris simply nodded. "Yep. I told my parents about you guys before we left, and they went out and got some items for you…" Chris started mumbling suddenly.

"Beg your pardon?" Rachel said, leaning in a bit more. Chris' indignant expression was a good indicator that he didn't want to say something out loud, which was all the more reason Rachel wanted to hear it.

Chris' mumbling continued a bit before he finally spoke up. "…and my folks said it was the least they could do after you guys agreed to look after me."

Rachel started snickering as Eric looked perplexed. "We never really…agreed, per se. Then again, given how you acted at the start of the journey, I guess we all knew what we were getting into."

Rachel snickered more. "Hey," Chris said. "You want this stuff or not?" He sighed slightly, then ruffled through his newly cramped bag. Clearly, his parents had sent him a lot of stuff. "Okay, so this is for Rachel. It's an Aprijuice blender. You attach it to your leg or bag and walk with Apricorns in it. It'll turn them into a juice that your Pokémon can drink that brings out their athletic abilities. At least, that's what it says on the label." He handed the canister to Rachel.

"Wow, thanks!" she said genuinely as she looked the device over.

"And Eric, this is a Ball Capsule. But you knew that already." Chris handed the translucent blue sphere to Eric, who looked a little surprised by the insight of the gift. "Also, Mom went out and got you this seal."

Eric took the small sticker. "Wow, a Bubble Seal. This will work well for Squirtle. Thanks, Chris."

Chris nodded. "Well, now that Christmas came early, what do we do now?"

Rachel set the blender on the nightstand while Eric put the Ball Capsule in his bag. "We sleep," Rachel said. "We've got a huge day ahead of us."

"Seriously? You're tired? What are you, forty?" Chris seemed incredulous.

"No, we're prudent," she responded. "I'm getting up at 7am tomorrow to start training for my Pokéathlon, and Eric needs to hit the shops before they're crowded. It wouldn't hurt you to get up early, too."

Eric was already laying down under the covers. Before Chris could respond, Rachel turned out the light.

The next day was an odd one. By the time **Chris** woke up, the room was empty. He squinted in the light from the window as he realized that the others had left him alone. In panic, he scrambled down the ladder and into the bathroom to get showered and dressed before bolting out the door.

He reentered moments later when he realized he forgot his Charmander.

Racing downstairs, Chris passed right by Eric, who was busy dumping berries into a small metal machine. Bolting outside, he passed right by Rachel, who was heading to a restaurant for some food. He continued to run until he was out of the far western gate to Viridian City. He stopped just short of the tall grass that covered half the route.

"Okay, you can do it," he told himself. "Just like yesterday."

**Rachel** awoke to find Eric already gone. Chris was still snoring, as he had been doing all night. It was 10am, and she slept a lot later than she'd wanted to. Their first day of travel had been exhausting; it was apparently more exhausting than she realized. She stretched and sat up, heading to the bathroom to brush her teeth and get her day started.

In the bathroom, she noticed a note stuck to the mirror: "Tomorrow, I'll have Pokémon food made for everyone. Today, you're on your own. Sorry. –Eric." She shrugged, having not considered before that Eric could make food as a breeder-in-training. But it was likely that the Pokémon Center or Pokémart would have food for sale.

Once downstairs, she and Bulbasaur had a nice breakfast. The Center's cafeteria was inexpensive, and the food was pretty good. After an omelette for her and some Grass-type food for Bulbasaur, she bent down to talk to her Pokémon. "I saw some boulders outside of town yesterday," she said. "Today, we're going to work on your strength. Are you ready to move some big rocks?"

Bulbasaur looked confused at first, but sensing Rachel's excitement, he quickly perked up, excitedly agreeing to whatever he was agreeing to.

**Eric** was the first one out the door. Up at 7am sharp, a quick shower and brush of the teeth got him ready for the day. Donning his pocket-laden vest and backpack, Eric slipped out of the room after leaving a note for the others, content to let Rachel and Chris sleep for as long as they needed. He had a long to-do list, and none of it was going to do itself.

As Squirtle chowed down on its food, Eric polished off the last of his bowl of cereal before looking at his schedule for the day. He had to hit the store for more seals, travel supplies, and an outfit to wear for the Contests here in Kanto. Then he had to go to the Breeding Boutique to pick up combs and other equipment he had been saving up for. Then he had to pick some berries to make Pokéblock and Pokémon food for the group. He then had to train with Squirtle and Ditto to prepare them for the Contest; he knew realistically they wouldn't win, but it would be crucial experience for when they took on the Pewter City Contest, where they would stand a much better shot. Finally, he needed to go fishing, so he had to pick up a fishing rod somewhere. The fishing would take the longest, but would have the most downtime, so it was scheduled for last in the day.

Satisfied he knew what to do, Eric stood up. Squirtle, seeing Eric ready to move, gulped down the last of its food, and prepared to leave.

"So who are you?" **Chris** asked the challenging trainer.

"Kinda rude, don't you think?" the opposing young man said, adjusting his glasses on his face. "But if you're not going to introduce yourself first, I guess I'll have to be the bigger man about it. I'm David, a trainer from Pallet Town." His dark brown hair waved in the gentle breeze, and his simple clothes, a black t-shirt and jeans, hung on his thin frame looking rather baggy.

"I'm Chris from Celadon City. I hope you're ready to lose."

The opposing trainer kept his calm and simply shook his head condescendingly. "They say arrogance creates its own failures. I guess they were talking about you."

Chris was taken aback a bit. Usually trainer banter didn't seem this…uppity to him. After winning two battles, Chris was feeling pretty confident, but he wasn't letting his guard down, especially after seeing how calm and collected this David guy was. "One on one?" he asked, ignoring the insult.

David nodded. "Agreed. Staryu, go!" From his Poké Ball, a Staryu materialized. Within seconds, Chris had his Pokédex activated.

"Staryu, the Star Shape Pokémon, a water-type, and the base form of Starmie. Staryu is capable of regenerating itself, even after catastrophic damage to its body. The gem that serves as the core of its body shines brightly at night towards the stars, leading some to believe Staryu is of alien origin."

Chris realized that this put him at a disadvantage, but he beat a Poliwag earlier, so he still had a chance. "Charmander, I choose you!" Not that he had another choice.

No sooner had Charmander appeared that David called his first attack. "Staryu, Water Gun!" A powerful pulse of water emitted from the top tip of the Star Shape Pokémon. Charmander jumped out of the way, but the pulse blasted his left arm, leaving it limp and in pain.

"Charmander, don't hesitate! Scratch!" Charmander raced forward at Chris' command, prepping its claws for a strong strike. But David wasn't having any of that.

"Rapid Spin!" David's command echoed around them as Staryu began spinning blindingly fast. The strike repelled Charmander before it could land a hit.

"This isn't over. Charmander, Smokescreen!" Charmander released a blinding smoke from its mouth and tail, obscuring the playing field.

"You haven't done your research on Staryu's moves, I see," David said. "Staryu, Swift!" Staryu fired several energy beams in the shape of stars that tracked Charmander's movements. It struck hard, sending Charmander flying back into Chris' legs.

"Sheesh, he's thought of everything," Chris said under his breath while Charmander recovered. "Can you go on, Charmander?" The small Pokémon nodded as the smoke began to clear from the field. "Charmander, scratch again!" This time, Charmander was able to use the smoke to obscure its movements. While Swift could find him, Staryu wouldn't know where the attack was coming from. Before David could call another move, Charmander had struck three times with scratch, severely damaging Staryu. "Not as easy as you thought it would be, huh?" Chris said.

"You're right," David said. "It's easier. Staryu, Recover." And with those words, Chris almost fell over backwards. Staryu briefly wrapped itself in light and emerged looking unharmed. "Finish this with Water Gun."

The stream of water knocked Charmander back into Chris, soaking both of them to the bone. By the time Chris cleared his eyes of the water, Charmander was completely knocked out, and Staryu was being pulled back into its Poké Ball. "You don't think before you act, do you?" David asked condescendingly. "There were at least two ways you could have turned that battle in your favor, and you didn't think of either of them. You're going to have to study more if you're going to get better. Especially if you think you have a chance at beating any gym leaders." As David turned around and walked off, Chris couldn't help but notice six Poké Balls attached to his waist. David was clearly far ahead of Chris.

"Watch out!" **Rachel** screamed at the top of her lungs as she bolted down the hill. Bulbasaur used its Vine Whip to push a huge boulder down a hill. It was great that his strength was so high, but Rachel was too busy bolting down the hill screaming to take notice; the boulder was headed into town and straight towards the Pokémon Center.

"Out of the way!" she screamed frantically. Eric was exciting the Pokémon Center when this happened, and didn't miss a beat. "Squirtle, deploy and use Water Gun!" Squirtle appeared, firing a pulse of water from its mouth at the boulder. But it didn't do much to slow the boulder's roll; it kept going. Squirtle kept firing, but it was to no avail. "Come on, Squirtle, we gotta get out of the way," Eric yelled. Squirtle stopped using Water Gun and returned to its Poké Ball.

"Machoke, Rock Smash!" Within moments, a huge Machoke appeared, slamming its hand into the rock. It shattered into thousands of pieces instantly, and Machoke looked no worse for wear.

Rachel finally caught up and bent over, trying to catch her breath. Bulbasaur lagged behind, not really being built for long-distance running. As Eric approached, he spotted Machoke's trainer walking up to it. He was a muscular guy, probably around Eric's age, wearing a black sleeveless fitted shirt and athletic shorts. The shorts were adorned with the logo for the Indigo Master Pokéathlon. He ran a hand through is black hair as he studied the scene. "Nice work, Machoke. That Rock Smash looks stronger than ever."

"Thank…you…" Rachel said between gasps for air. Bulbasaur lay flat on the ground next to her, exhausted.

"You're welcome," the trainer said. "You seem new at this. Are you two Pokéthletes?"

Eric shook his head. "She is. I'm a Coordinator. My name's Eric, and this is Rachel." He volunteered the information so Rachel could continue breathing uninterrupted.

"I'm Nate. Nice to meet you both. Do be careful from now on though," he said. "Not to be insulting, but it looks like you've got a long way to go." Before either could respond, he and Machoke walked away.

"Are you alright, Rachel?" Eric asked.

"Yeah…I'm fine," she said, catching her breath. "That was a bad call on my part. I could've killed someone."

"You didn't," Eric said, "so don't mull over it too much. Just take a break for a while. I've got some Pokéblock for Bulbasaur to try if he's interested."

Bulbasaur almost immediately perked up. It was definitely interested.

"Ugh, I can't believe I did that," Rachel said as she sat on her bunk. Eric was pulling out his Pokéblock dispenser to try the different flavors on Bulbasaur.

"Quit beating yourself up," he said in response. "You can't change that it happened, just don't let it happen again."

"Easier said than done…the not beating myself up part, I mean," she responded. "If that cute guy hadn't been there oh, wow, I can't believe I just said that out loud."

Eric simply laughed as he popped a red Pokéblock into Bulbasaur's mouth. It chewed, then shuddered in disgust, then began panting.

"In any case, if he hadn't been there, I could have wrecked the whole Pokémon Center. Ugh, all those Pokémon could have been hurt. And even if they weren't, the _property damage_ I could have caused! My license to train Pokémon could have been revoked! I could have…"

"_Chill out!_" Eric said sharply. "None of what you're saying actually happened, and saying it now isn't changing a damn thing. Calm down, take a deep breath, and relax. Take a nap." He popped a yellow Pokéblock, which was met with a much more amenable response. Eric made a note in his notebook that Bulbasaur liked sour berries. He dumped several yellow cubes into Bulbasaur's bowl, which he gobbled up quickly.

Eric then stood up. "I gotta go and finish up a few errands. Promise me you'll take it easy for the rest of the day."

Rachel nodded. "I will."

Eric headed for the door, but it swung open, and a disgruntled-looking Chris entered. "Uh, hey, Chris. Are you feeling alright?"

Chris muttered something unintelligible as he entered, climbed his bunk, and collapsed into bed.

Eric simply shrugged his shoulders. "Moody teenagers, I suppose," he remarked, clearly overlooking his own status as a teenager as well. With that, he shut the door and went downstairs.

"I lost a battle really badly," Chris said. "You?"

"I nearly killed people, Pokémon, and almost demolished this building."

A short pause. Then Chris: "You win." Both napped for a while after that.

"Hey, man," a familiar voice said. He sat at the edge of a small pond near the southwest corner of Viridian City, fishing away. He had a bag full of fishing equipment from rods and lines to lures and bait. **Eric** looked up to see Nate lounging and fishing.

"Oh, it's you. Nate, right?"

The Pokéthlete nodded. "And you're Eric. Wanna come sit for a bit?"

"Actually, I'm about to head to the shop to see if I can find a good deal on a fishing rod. I intend to do some fishing. Will you still be here in 20 minutes?" Eric was looking forward to making a new friend on his journey.

"Come borrow one of mine for now," he said. "The cheapest fishing equipment is in Cerulean City anyway."

"Alright," Eric said. As he sat at the edge of the pond, Nate handed him a rod. After baiting it with some blue Pokéblock, Eric cast the line, then set the rod down in the built-in rod holders at the edge of the bank. He grabbed both of the capsules at his waist and threw them in the air. "Squirtle, Ditto, deploy!" The two Pokémon materialized, and Eric set up their food bowls with the special food he'd made earlier.

"Impressive," Nate said. "I take it you've worked as a breeder on the side?"

"Actually, yeah," Eric responded. "Being a Coordinator is actually my second goal. My primary goal is to improve my breeding and raising techniques. Do your Pokémon want any food?"

Nate shook his head. "No thanks. Not to offend you, but my Pokémon are on strict diets. I regulate their food very carefully, and even make it myself."

"No offense taken," Eric said. "You're a breeder, too?"

"Not really. But I'm of the opinion that every Pokémon Trainer should know the basics of breeding, food, and care. It's the least you can do to ensure your Pokémon remain healthy and battle, contest, or Pokéathlon-ready."

Eric nodded. "A wise policy."

"So, I noticed you guys come into town last night. There's three of you, right?"

"Yeah," Eric responded. "You met Rachel earlier, who's still beating herself up over that, and then there's Chris, the quintessential hot-headed impulsive and moody trainer aiming for the Pokémon League."

"And then you," Nate said. "The rational, quick-thinking Pokémon encyclopedia." Eric gave Nate a quizzical look, wondering how he knew that. "It's not hard to tell. The way you reacted to the accident earlier, plus the quality of the food and Pokéblock you made, you're obviously the meticulous one. You're also older than the other two, I'm willing to bet, and probably are the 'mature' one in the group. Am I on point so far?"

Eric was impressed. "Yeah, actually. That's pretty spot-on. But we've only been traveling for a day, so there's no way to tell how it'll all end up."

"Mind if I give you a piece of friendly advice?" Nate asked. "I was in the same situation before, playing the mentor to some younger travel companions." Eric nodded and Nate continued. "Don't get too wrapped up in helping them. Yes, it's good to be supportive, but don't put your dreams on hold to help them out. Keep your focus. It's easy to get sidetracked when people rely on you, but doing so will not only keep you from accomplishing your goals, but will also hold them back from being independent."

Eric approached his question carefully. "What happened with you and your group?"

Nate smiled. "Not ready to talk about it yet, I'm afraid. Maybe after we…"

They were interrupted by a tug on Eric's line. "Aah!" Eric yelped out and grabbed the rod, pulling hard. Squirtle tugged on Eric's leg, while Eric ran up behind Eric and pulled Eric back.

"D-Did your Ditto just transform into you?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, but…Ditto, can you transform into Nate instead? He actually has muscles." Eric strained against the pull of the Pokémon in the water as Nate laughed and grabbed the rod to help pull. Ditto obeyed and transformed into Nate, creating an odd scene from any angle.

"Th-there it is! That's the Pokémon I was looking for! Pull! I can't lose this one!"


End file.
